Tristan's heart seized as Gwendolyn swept in, her presence commanding the very shadows themselves. Behind her prowled a dozen nightmare creatures - beasts that nature never intended, their forms a twisted mockery of hyenas with saliva dripping from yellowed fangs.
The creatures' guttural growls sent primitive warnings coursing through Tristan's blood. These were death-dealers, bred for suffering.
Yet it was Gwendolyn who truly commanded his attention. She moved with deliberate grace, wrapped in silk that shimmered like captured moonlight. The gown's elaborate cut emphasized rather than concealed, and despite his dire circumstances, Tristan found his gaze drawn to the way the fabric clung to her form. The sweet perfume of exotic oils surrounded her, stirring memories he'd thought safely b
